1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a free wheel hub clutch and more particularly to a free wheel hub clutch which locks an axle shaft and a wheel hub during four-wheel driving position and disengages the axle shaft from the wheel hub in two-wheel driving position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional free wheel hub clutch related to the present invention is disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication No. 59(1984)-51620 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,441.
The Japanese Patent type of free wheel hub clutch includes a cylindrical body fixed to an external end of a wheel rib rotatably connected to an external end of an axle tube. An inner sleeve is linked to an external end projection of the axle which is inserted through the axle tube within the cylindrical body so as to permit the transmitting of a driving force. A clutch member is attached to the cylindrical body so that it is axially slidable and a handle is rotatably fitted to the cylindrical body. A cam follower is provided for initiating the clutch member engagement with the inner sleeve by making the clutch member slide in the axial direction while interlocking with the handle. The arrangement is such that the transmission of the driving force becomes possible by manually turning the handle in order to cause the clutch member to mesh with the inner sleeve.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,441 discloses a type of free wheel hub which includes a motor linked to a handle. The free wheel hub clutch is compact and a power source is built in to thereby change over the clutch engagement of the driving wheel from a driver's seat. There is provided a free wheel hub clutch wherein the motor is incorporated in the cylindrical body. The motor is linked to the handle and, at the same time, the motor is fitted to the side wall of the body.